Making A Difference To Aussie Mick And His Koala Mates
In 1973, Jean Starr from Port Macquarie became concerned at the heavy destruction of the habitat and began to care for Koala's she found sick and injured within the township. Other townsfolk joined her mission and the Port Macquarie Koala Preservation Society was founded. In 1986, this was changed to the Koala Preservation Society of NSW Inc.
In 1975 a small Koala hospital was built at the Macquarie Nature Reserve site. Due to the demand of Koala patients a bigger hospital was soon required, being built in 1986. In 1990 the John Williamson wing was added. This was named after the Australian country singer who was so touched with the plight of the koala that he wrote the song “Goodbye Blinky Bill”, with money from the sales of the record building the wing, a treatment ward, store rooms and an office.
Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release are the 3R's on the minds of those who work at the Koala Hospital at Port Macquarie. Each year 200 – 300 Koala's find themselves resting in the peace and quiet of the John Williamson wing under the tender loving care of staff and volunteers. All this would not be possible without the sponsorship and donations of the community.
Last month Good Gabble spent a day at the animal hospital and with the help of our subscribers has adopted Aussie Mick, an adorable white Koala.
Aussie Mick is a mature 10 – 12 year old male Koala who first came to the hospital in August 2007 through a concerned police officer. When he arrived at the Koala Hospital staff found that he was suffering from the ocular form of chlamydial infection, a bacterium that can affect both the eyes and then urogenital tract of koalas.
Named after the police offer who found him Mick is an angelic white Koala with a black nose, brown tips on his ears, brownish/grey tips on all his toes and soft brownish black pads on his feet. His coat has a waxy soft texture, unusual for a Koala, and is very thick. Although beautiful to touch and look at he certainly does not differ from any other male Koala were smell is concerned, having a strong pungent scent gland mixed with that lovely eucalypt aroma.
When first admitted to the Koala Hospital both of Aussie Micks eyes were so bad that there was overgrowth of proliferative tissue that had actually covered both eyes. Surprisingly his body condition was very good so he had still been able to find food and remain as high in the trees as possible to prevent attack from wild dogs or dingos. Blinded by chlamydial infection, starvation and attack are the death of many of these Koalas.
Once at the hospital Mick was placed in a high security enclosure to protect him and treated twice a day with antibiotic eye ointments. Mick then underwent eye surgery were the proliferative tissue from both eyes were removed. The transformation was immediate and it was discovered that Mick had the most beautiful pale yellow eyes, quiet different from the dark brown ones that normal Koalas have and very different to the red eyes of an albino.
In 1975 a small Koala hospital was built at the Macquarie Nature Reserve site. Due to the demand of Koala patients a bigger hospital was soon required, being built in 1986. In 1990 the John Williamson wing was added. This was named after the Australian country singer who was so touched with the plight of the koala that he wrote the song “Goodbye Blinky Bill”, with money from the sales of the record building the wing, a treatment ward, store rooms and an office.
Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release are the 3R's on the minds of those who work at the Koala Hospital at Port Macquarie. Each year 200 – 300 Koala's find themselves resting in the peace and quiet of the John Williamson wing under the tender loving care of staff and volunteers. All this would not be possible without the sponsorship and donations of the community.
Last month Good Gabble spent a day at the animal hospital and with the help of our subscribers has adopted Aussie Mick, an adorable white Koala.
Aussie Mick is a mature 10 – 12 year old male Koala who first came to the hospital in August 2007 through a concerned police officer. When he arrived at the Koala Hospital staff found that he was suffering from the ocular form of chlamydial infection, a bacterium that can affect both the eyes and then urogenital tract of koalas.
Named after the police offer who found him Mick is an angelic white Koala with a black nose, brown tips on his ears, brownish/grey tips on all his toes and soft brownish black pads on his feet. His coat has a waxy soft texture, unusual for a Koala, and is very thick. Although beautiful to touch and look at he certainly does not differ from any other male Koala were smell is concerned, having a strong pungent scent gland mixed with that lovely eucalypt aroma.
When first admitted to the Koala Hospital both of Aussie Micks eyes were so bad that there was overgrowth of proliferative tissue that had actually covered both eyes. Surprisingly his body condition was very good so he had still been able to find food and remain as high in the trees as possible to prevent attack from wild dogs or dingos. Blinded by chlamydial infection, starvation and attack are the death of many of these Koalas.
Once at the hospital Mick was placed in a high security enclosure to protect him and treated twice a day with antibiotic eye ointments. Mick then underwent eye surgery were the proliferative tissue from both eyes were removed. The transformation was immediate and it was discovered that Mick had the most beautiful pale yellow eyes, quiet different from the dark brown ones that normal Koalas have and very different to the red eyes of an albino.
For as little as $40 per year Good Gabble has been able to adopt Aussie Mick and help with his ongoing rehabilitation and care, and that of other Koalas. With our adoption we received a certificate which we will continue to display with pride on behalf of all our subscribers. We also received a package of information on the care of Aussie Mick, a educational booklet on Koalas, a copy of the Koala Hospital Newsletter 'Gum tips', and stickers announcing our support. We will continue to receive updates on the health of Aussie Mick and the happenings at the hospital and will report this back to our readers as it arrives
Without our subscribers this adoption would not have been possible. When you subscribe to Good Gabble you are doing more than supporting and receiving a Newzine that talks of positivity and hope, you are becoming part of a community that aims to make a change to the lives of many. As we travel we will continue to donate, sponsor and help as many organisations and individuals that we can.
Further information on the Koala Hospital can be found at: www.koalahospital.org.au
article : Jennifer Deaves
